Member for rubber-sprung rail wheels and rubber-sprung rail wheel

Abstract

A rubber member for rubber-elastic rail wheels which in the expanded state has an oval opening for receiving a flexible current bridge. When the rubber member is incorporated in the rail wheel, the opening assumes a substantially circular cross-section under prestressing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A flexible member for rubber-sprung rail wheels with first and second concentric parts and with an annular gap between them, comprising: a rubber member adapted to fit in said annular gap;   a current bridge; and   an opening through said rubber member, wherein said opening is adapted to receive said current bridge, wherein said opening has an oval cross-section when said rubber member is in an unstressed state.   
     
     
       2. The rubber member of claim 1, wherein said oval cross-section is elliptical. 
     
     
       3. The rubber member of claim 1, wherein the ratio between the maximum diameter of the oval cross-section and the minimum diameter of the oval cross-section is 1.25/1 to 1.35/1. 
     
     
       4. The rubber member of claim 1, wherein said opening has at each end a widened portion adapted to receive a contact shoe of said current bridge. 
     
     
       5. The rubber member of claim 4, wherein each said widened portion has an oval cross-section and wherein each said oval cross-section is axially offset by 90 degrees from the oval cross-section of said opening, wherein the minimum diameter of said widened portion is from zero to twenty percent larger than the maximum diameter of the opening. 
     
     
       6. A rubber-sprung rail wheel, comprising: a wheel rim;   a wheel tire disposed concentrically outside of said wheel rim;   at least one rubber member disposed in an annular gap between said wheel rim and said wheel tire, wherein said rubber member has an opening through said rubber member, wherein said opening is adapted to receive a current bridge, wherein said opening has an oval cross-section when said rubber member is in an unstressed state; and   a current bridge residing in said opening.   
     
     
       7. The rubber-sprung rail wheel of claim 6, wherein said oval cross-section is elliptical. 
     
     
       8. The rubber-sprung rail wheel of claim 6, wherein the ratio between the maximum diameter of the oval cross-section and the minimum diameter of the oval cross-section is 1.25/1 to 1.35/1. 
     
     
       9. The rubber-sprung rail wheel of claim 6, wherein said opening has at each end a widened portion adapted to receive a contact shoe of said current bridge. 
     
     
       10. The rubber-sprung rail wheel of claim 9, wherein each said widened portion has an oval cross-section and wherein each said oval cross-section is axially offset by 90 degrees from the oval cross-section of said opening, wherein the minimum diameter of said widened portion is from zero to twenty percent larger than the maximum diameter of the opening. 
     
     
       11. A rubber member for rubber-sprung rail wheels with first and second concentric wheel parts and with an annular gap between them, comprising: a rubber member disposed under prestressing in said annular gap between said first and second concentric wheel parts, said robber member having opposite outer bearing faces;   a current bridge; and   an opening provided between said outer bearing faces bearing against said wheel parts and said current bridge disposed in said opening;   wherein said opening has an oval cross-section when said rubber member is in an unstressed state.